THIS WEEK
6 | Flight International | 15 December 2015-4 January 2016 flightglobal.com
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flightglobal.com/defencenewsletterLUFTHANSA TO TAKE NEO LEAD ROLE
ACCEPTANCE German flag-carrier Lufthansa appears set to move
ahead of Qatar Airways and become the first to receive the Airbus
A320neo. The airline on 10 December confirmed that it has agreed
to be “launching customer”, and was preparing for a delivery before
year-end. Speaking in New York the previous day, Qatar Airways chief
Akbar Al Baker had stated that any delivery delay would be due to
PW1100G engine supplier Pratt & Whitney. Referring to its custom-
ers, Airbus says: “It is their privilege to announce delivery dates.”EASA GREEN LIGHT FOR HIGHER-DENSITY ATR -
TURBOPROP ATR has secured European Aviation Safety Agency
approval for a higher-density interior for its ATR 72-600 turboprop,
enabling it to offer an increased capacity of 78 seats – four more
than the previous limit. ATR, which has carried out adjustments to
the type’s forward cargo bay and seat pitch, says the new option will
also be available as a retrofit package. The first 78-seat aircraft will
enter service in August 2016. Cebu Pacific was the first airline to
select the configuration, when it agreed to take 16 aircraft.UK COMPLETES CHINOOK FLEET EXPANSION
ROTORCRAFT Boeing has delivered its final CH-47 Chinook to the
UK Royal Air Force from a 14-unit, £1 billion ($1.5 billion) deal signed
in 2011. Acceptance of the HC6-standard transport helicopter takes
the UK’s fleet of the tandem-rotor type to 60 aircraft.MRJ BACK IN THE AIR AS TEST FLIGHTS CONTINUE
PROGRAMME Mitsubishi Aircraft had by early December performed
two additional test flights with the initial MRJ prototype since its 11
November maiden sortie. The additional flights took place on 19 and
27 November, says the Japanese airframer. It has not disclosed the
test points achieved, but says the aircraft’s landing gear and flaps- which were kept fixed during the first flight – were operated. First
delivery is scheduled for the second quarter of 2017.
JET BLAST FROM TAXIING 747 DAMAGED BUSES
INCIDENT German investigators have revealed that two passenger
buses were badly damaged by jet blast as a Lufthansa Boeing 747-
taxied into a parking position at Frankfurt Main on 11 August. One
passenger was injured when a number of windows were shattered
on both vehicles. Investigating authority the BFU says that three of
aircraft D-ABYJ’s General Electric GEnx-2B engines were generating
thrust at the time, with both port-side engines running at higher than
recommended power as it increased speed to 7kt (13 km/h).ROTORCRAFT ASIA PICKS FG FOR KNOWLEDGE ROLE
SHOW Flightglobal, the publisher of Flight International, has been
named as exclusive Knowledge Partner for the inaugural edition of
Rotorcraft Asia, a helicopter trade show being launched by Singapore
air show organiser Experia Events. Taking place on 18-20 April 2017
at the Changi Exhibition Centre, the biennial show will focus on the
oil and gas, corporate, medevac and law enforcement sectors.
http://www.rotorcraft-asia.comSUPER HORNET SHIFT FOR BLUE ANGELS
UPDATE The US Navy has announced plans to replace its Blue
Angels demonstration team’s Boeing F/A-18A-D-model aircraft with a
squadron of adapted F/A-18E Super Hornets. Its current Hornets
replaced the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk in the role in 1986.BRIEFING
E
xpanding the UK Royal Air
Force’s Raytheon Systems
Shadow R1 signals intelligence
fleet from five to eight operational
aircraft – as revealed by the na-
tion’s government in November –
will include the conversion of one
example currently configured as a
trainer, plus two new-builds.
The decision to boost the fleet
from six, including a Gama
Aviation-operated trainer, was an-
nounced as part of the govern-
ment’s Strategic Defence and Se-
curity Review (SDSR). The
additional aircraft are expected to
be in service from 2019, with the
fleet to operate until “at least
2030”.
While a contract covering the
increase has not been signed, Ray-
theon says conversion of the train-
er to an operational configuration
is planned at its facility in
Broughton, Wales. This is expect-
ed to be the first of the three
Beechcraft King Air 350CER-
derived aircraft available. The
modification will include integra-
tion with a roll-on, roll-off mission
system, potentially allowing that
Shadow to be employed in a fu-
ture training role.
Flightglobal’s Fleets Analyzer
database shows the current air-
craft are between five and eight
years old.INTELLIGENCE BETH STEVENSON LONDONRaytheon reveals
UK Shadow plans
Contractor details path towards increased fleet size, after
surprise announcement contained in recent defence reviewCrown Copyright
RAF surveillance type is derived from King Air 350CER platformThe RAF’s Raytheon Sentinel
R1 surveillance platform also was
given a life-extension in the SDSR,
which committed it to remaining
in service “into the next decade”;
the company says until 2021. Al-
though one of the five-strong in-
ventory is set for retirement by the
end of 2016, Raytheon is confi-
dent this can be postponed.
A company source tells Flight
International the UK’s acquisition
of Boeing’s P-8 maritime patrol
aircraft – including a Raytheon-
developed radar – will not in-
clude an overland surveillance
capability initially, meaning the
Sentinel could possibly be re-
quired beyond 2021.
Raytheon hopes to secure ex-
port orders for the battlefield sur-
veillance-roled Sentinel, with
India and South Korea under-
stood to have shown interest in
the Bombardier Global Express-
derived system.
Separately, discussions are on-
going over the UK’s planned buy
of nine 737-based P-8s.
“We anticipate the Boeing P-8A
Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft
will enter service in the UK in fi-
nancial year 2019-2020,” says min-
ister of state Earl Howe. “Exact
dates are yet to be agreed between
the [Ministry of Defence] and the
US Department of Defense.” ■